


Alterity

by Flintfeather



Category: Warriors - Erin Hunter
Genre: LGBTQ Character, M/M, ShadowClan, SkyClan, Warrior Cats
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-24
Updated: 2018-08-24
Packaged: 2019-07-01 22:30:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,502
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15783420
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Flintfeather/pseuds/Flintfeather
Summary: Just a drabble I wrote at school, don't know where else to publish it





	Alterity

 

Doveheart creeped through the silent forest, taking the now familiar path to the Shadowclan border. He shouldn’t be here, skulking around at night to the words of a Shadowclan cat. Not just any cat, the Shadowclan  _ deputy _ . If anyone found him, he would never hear the end of it, he’d lose all respect of his clanmates, his brothers especially. Though, something inside him urged him to go despite the circumstances. It kept him tossing in his nest, like a spider running along his backside. Eventually, he found it in himself to sneak out of camp and betray the trust of his whole Clan.

 

The tree branches gently swayed in the nightly breeze, fallen leaves gave sign to nearly ending greenleaf. The soft crunching of newly dead leaves would have normally been more satisfying. Doveheart cringed internally every time he took a step, Plumshade’s teachings running through his head.  _ Always watch your paws. Either if you’re hunting prey or stalking a cat, the tiniest twig snapping could be detrimental to your success. That means you’ll have to be more careful, Dovepaw, with those giant paws of yours.  _ Doveheart smiled faintly. She was surely disappointed in what he was doing, if she was watching.

 

A breaking branch snapped Doveheart out of his memories. He knew he shouldn’t have come. Frostwind could have an entire patrol lurking in the shadows, waiting for the right moment to pounce and drag him back to their camp. He was the deputy’s brother, of course he would be a valuable hostage victim. 

 

Instinctively, Doveheart pulled himself up the nearest sycamore tree, moving as silent as possible. His claws bended the bark beneath him, leaving small scratch marks in their wake. Quick as a squirrel, he sat in the high leafy branches. His eyes jumped between every bush, every tree, scanning for any signs of his Clan’s enemy.

 

The roar of the Thunderpath pulled Doveheart’s attention away from his paranoia. His heart began to race as he remembered the night when he first met Frostwind, he shuddered at the memory. If he had been a moment too late- well, at least he wouldn’t have had to be here right now. And as if Starclan were listening to his thoughts, there he was, standing near the edge of the Thunderpath.

 

Doveheart relaxed his grip on the branch when he saw him. Maybe because he was alone or maybe because he had managed to cross over the border without getting hit by a car. He moved his gaze to the Shadowclan side, staring between the pines. No shining eyes stared back. Still, he felt hesitant to jump down.

 

Frostwind, however, held no hesitation.

 

“Doveheart?” His high voice echoed throughout the dark forest, “It’s me, I’m here. Please don’t blow me off again.”

 

Frostwind paced in circles, flicking his tail anxiously. He nearly jumped out of his fur as a restless squirrel bolted across the grass and up a great oak. Doveheart watched him intently, searching for any sign that might reveal if he had any companions with him. Though, his heart ached with each passing second. He didn’t like to watch Frostwind helplessly call out into an unfamiliar forest with no one to answer his pleas. 

 

After a minute of fruitless wails, Frostwind’s face grew sour and flexed his claw in the grass. “Fine,” he hissed, “I was a mouse-brain to think it’d be any different.” He began stalking away, the light of a car illuminating his dark fur. Doveheart felt his heart skip a beat.

 

“Wait,” Doveheart mewed before he could think, “don’t leave.” Frostwind looked up into the trees, his fur flaring up as the car passed by. The two cats locked eyes. A sly smile grew on the black tom’s face and Doveheart wished he could sink back into the foliage of the tree.  _ He was going to leave, why did I do that? _

 

“Doveheart,” Frostwind purred,”what are you doing up there?” His tail sweeped in long, slow strokes.

 

Doveheart swallowed. The gleam of his two different colored eyes pulled him down to the forest floor, temping him to view them up close, to be able to see the reflection of the moon in them. He resisted that urge, his heart beating faster than before, “I am here against my better judgement. Why did you want me to come, there is a war going on, you know. I could be exiled if I’m found sneaking around with one of your kind.” The words felt harsh on his tongue, but it was true; Frostwind was a Shadowclan cat, his enemy. Someone that could ruin his life if he wasn’t careful. 

 

Frostwind frowned, “I’m hurt, Doveheart. As if I would let anything happen to you.”

 

Doveheart rolled his eyes, that small spark he had in his chest a moment ago has been buried, “I’m leaving now, it was a mistake to come here.” He bunched up his muscles and leaped out of the sycamore, the branches barley making a sound as he did. Frostwind quickly approached him as he landed.

 

“W-Wait, let me explain,” Frostwind stammered,”I didn’t ask you to be here for no reason.”

 

Doveheart cut him off before he could speak again, “You are the deputy of Shadowclan, the future leader of the Clan that swore to by my Clan’s enemy moons before I was even born. My brother is the deputy of Skyclan. Us talking could be considered treason. We are not allowed to sit next to each other during a Gathering without being questioned about our loyalty.” He flicked his tail dismissively, “Your Clan killed my father. We’re done here.” Once again, his words felt unusual and stung as they came out of his mouth.

 

Frostwind took a step back, his mouth slightly agape. Hurt flashed in his eyes his normal astute posture faltered, his tail hung between his legs. “I-Doveheart.” He shuffled his paws in the grass and his head hung low, “You don’t think I don’t know that? My father was a Windclan cat, I have family over there that I’m not allowed to know about because of Creekstar’s stupid policies. I could potentially hurt my own kin because Starclan willed it!” The way he said Starclan sounded as if he were spitting venom, “I don’t want to deal with any of this anymore,” he added, his tone softer than before.

 

It was Doveheart’s turn to be shocked; Frostwind’s usual suave, sly demeanor had been cracked, revealing a more angry and hurt spirit underneath. Like slivers of sunlight through the overcast trees. Though, it disappeared as quickly as it arrived, sealing up the cracks.

 

“You saved my life that night,” Frostwind’s voice was more controlled, not like the outburst he just had, “you didn’t need to. I didn’t  _ want  _ you to. But now-” Frostwind smiled and brought his muzzle close to Doveheart’s, he could feel his warm breath on his face,”- I do want you.”

 

Doveheart was frozen. He stared deep into Frostwind’s eyes as he spoke. His beautiful eyes… He barely reacted as Frostwind pressed their noses together, rubbing their muzzles against one another. Doveheart breathed in his scent; it smelled like pine needles and early morning fog. He couldn’t help but fall into the black cat’s touch. The smell of pines was all over him now, but he didn’t care. For this moment, he belonged to Shadowclan.

 

Frostwind purred in his ear, sending ripples down Doveheart’s back,“We’re not enemies here. We don’t have to be subject to blame. Starclan can’t see us through the trees.”

 

“I-” Doveheart started, but was interrupted by his own purr as Frostwind began to lick his chest fur, “I want you too, Frostwind. But, the code, the war…”

 

Frostwind purred again and intertwined their tails together, “Don’t think about that right now, think about me, think about  _ us _ .” He gently nudged Doveheart to the ground, the smaller cat laying on top of his massive amount of fur,”You’re so beautiful, Doveheart.”

 

“We should go back, our clanmates will notice we’ve been gone.” Doveheart tried to push himself up, but Frostwind forced him back down.

 

“No, wait. Stay with me, just for tonight.” His voice rushed,”This might be our only chance, who knows what will happen in the future.”

 

Doveheart hesitated and looked back into Skyclan’s territory. The trees did not speak, not an echo came from inside. He couldn’t tell of the silence was reassuring or not. Finally, he caved, “Alright, I’ll stay.”

 

Frostwind smiled,“Perfect.”  He slid down Doveheart’s back and found his way into the crook of his stomach, he was just small enough to fit. “Goodnight.”

 

Doveheart sighed and wrapped his tail around the two of them. He closed his eyes, breathing in more of Frostwind’s scent, “Goodnight.”

 

There, in the roots of a sycamore tree, they slept, undisturbed by outside influence. The soft breeze whispered through the trees, yet nothing rose them from their slumber. It would be the last peaceful night the forest would see for moons to come.

   
  



End file.
